Red light in the dark
by ii-V-I
Summary: Post war Wizarding Britain. Voldemort died but there are new rules in the game of Light vs Dark. Hermione awakes to find her whole life changed. Who will come to save her? Will she save herself? Dramione. Dark Draco. Creature fic. Please shoot me a quick review if you get a chance.
1. Chapter 1

Hermione woke up to complete darkness, her breath coming out in hard pants. It must have been a dream. She threw the blankets away and felt the dry breeze creep up her body. Where was the onesie she put on earlier? The pounding in her head reminded her that she was neglecting something serious.

Assessing the room she noticed a light coming through a corner window; the light red, the window small. She went toward it using the small source of light to check over her body. In horror, she discovered that she was clad only in a red lace bra and lace boy shorts, clipped to stockings. Hermione Granger, bookworm extraordinaire in thigh highs and lace. Of course, Ginny had forced me into buying a few things here and there but never anything as scandalous as this.

Where am I? She wondered aloud. Suddenly, the pounding in her head played Theo's voice in her mind, "I'm sorry, Mione." She screamed. Flashes of images sprang to mind, Theo offering her a drink, the squeeze of apparition, Theo dressing her, telling her that _He_ is going to be so pleased with him. More importantly, Theo had seen hernaked. She screamed again, a raw, shallow sound that would have reached Fawkes himself in the mountains.

She jumped away from the red patch of light, the headache and the realization that she was in deep shit springing her long lost war instincts into action. Feeling along the wall, pain shot through her little toe as she bumped into a chair. Cautiously Hermione threw her hands along in front of her attempting to move around the obstacle without further injury.

Eventually she came upon a flimsy looking door, jiggling the knob, fruitlessly.

"Theo, please! This isn't funny. Are you mad at me? I'm sorry. Please! I'll do anything you want. Please let me out. I'm afraid. I'm sorry. I was scared it was my first time." She screamed anything she could think of to get him to open the door.

Her fist collided with the door one last time as she gave up. She had trusted Theo and he had betrayed her. He had tried to talk her into sleeping with him more than once, offering her a drink to loosen her up. Not wanting to lose one of the few friends she had left, she often pretended to pass out afterwards and he would leave her alone.

Hermione slid down the door crying hysterically. She had been so nice. She had tried to be nice to everyone, how had she gotten into this situation? Now here she was, in a red lit room, no wand, no real clothes.

Think Hermione, think. We can get out of this. We know the room has at least one window and one door. We have no wand, no clothes, but less to get caught on trying to escape. We're leaving. Now. Even after war ended, she had kept myself in excellent shape, dancing, kickboxing, pilates, yoga and lifting weights to keep herself up. She stood up resolutely and balanced her weight on one leg, kicking where she thought the lock would be the door flew open with little resistance.

Hermione had expected much more of a struggle with the door but she knew not to look a gift horse in the mouth. Without hesitation she ran out looking for light. She turned out to the right running towards the light when the sound of men's voices caught her attention, she stopped abruptly looking around the hallway_._

_It is so dark, perhaps they won't see me._ _I could backtrack but I think this is the way out. I backed as far as I could against the wall._

"Nope, I'm first" deep baritone reverberate against the walls.

"She's a virgin and I outrank you. Me first."

"I'll duel you for her." They continued to pass her down the hall.

_They must have been talking about me. My virginity which I had saved for the right man was going to be stolen from me. I'd made it through Hogwarts, University, a bloody war and these men were so sure they had rights to what was mine._ Hermione was pissed and she pushed her senses to heighten even further than before.

As the footprints and voices faded, she took a step out from the shadows looking both ways before running as fast as she could. A small light was coming from what appeared to be a doorway. She was almost there. Her heart started beating even harder in her chest, the echo hammering in her ears. She could almost taste victory in her mouth as she pushedher body faster, further.

With just a few steps to go, four hands grabbed her covering her mouth and her eyes, pinning her hands down by her sides. Lips pressed against her ears, "that isn't a way out. If you go through that door you'll be raped until you die. They do it on purpose. If you want to survive, do what they say, keep your head down, mouth closed and legs open… and do those kegels often." The harsh whisper was gone as well as the hands, she turned around just in time to see a flash of brilliant platinum hair before it disappeared. Hermione fought the shiver that went through her as she recounted the voice's words of warning. She could go through the door, and she could die now or she could stay here and die later. Hermione squared her shoulders and took a confident step towards the door but stopped short. She really just needed to stay here and think her way out of this. There's a way to escape. Plus, it would only take a few days, or weeks in their current state before Harry realized she was missing then all of Wizarding Britain would be looking for its golden girl.

She turned and began to walk back the way she came, slowly counting her steps. She opened the door to the dark, empty room tears welling up in her eyes. As she reached for the bed covers, her eyes detected a small disturbance in the sheets.

"I was wondering when you would come back, or if you would at all. I was hoping I wouldn't have to go back down and pull rank on whoever caught you. Come here."

"Um, no." I heard him sigh loudly.

"Listen, if I have to get up nice me is gone."

She debated with herself for a moment, he was high enough up that he had the ability to pull rank, maybe she could convince him to keep her alive long enough to escape. She sighed in defeat as she walked over to the side of the bed. The closer she got, the more drawn in she became. It was almost as though she had been caught in the gravitational force of some unknown star.

"Sit," he said, she did as she was bid. The bed shifted as he crawled next to her. As he spoke Hermione felt his breath on her neck.

"If you're a good girl, I'll be good to you." The voice sounds familiar and she struggle trying to place it.

"If you were good, I wouldn't be here." She snapped back.

His ministrations on her neck paused momentarily, "I didn't bring you here."

"right, you're just going to rape me." She spat, trying to rile him up.

"You'll enjoy it, ma farouche."

"I'm not your fiery one."

"You speak French." It's a statement and not a question.

"A bit. Are we in France?" She just had to keep him talking.

"Stop talking." With this, his hands slid up her shoulders, there his hands slide the bra straps down.

"How did I get into these clothes?"

"I thought I told you to stop talking."

"I'm nervous, I need to talk."

He sighs, "the girls dress the new girls." He slides his hands down her shoulder to her arms and up her back to unclip her bra. Before it could fall, Hermione brought her hands up to cover herself, catching it. Her breath hitched and tears begin to fall silently.

"Hey," he said, "it could be worse some of the guys in here just want to hurt Gryffindor's golden girl. Let me help you."

"Please just let me go." She pleaded quiettly.

"I can't do that, _He _would kill me. I'm sorry but I promise I'll make it good for you. Just please don't cry." That phrase resounded in her soul and just like that she made the connection…she knew who this was.

"Draco?"

"shhh" comes his response as he moves around to wipe her tears. Slowly he moves his hands up gripping her chin and moving his face to hers, pressing their lips together. This isn't their first kiss. Eighth year and their time together at University had led to a few kisses. After Ron had broken up with her, breaking her heart. After the Weasleys had decided it was best if they not see her for a while, after Ginny and Harry got busy with their new family. After she'd been alone. Their courtship had ended with Draco being captured by a Death eater cell two years ago.

In a last ditch effort to buy herself more time she blurted, "aren't I more valuable here as a virgin? I've seen shows where virgins are kidnapped and taken overseas to be sold." He gripped her tighter the softness leaving his eyes.

"_He_ hates virgins. They really are a pain to break in. You need to be broken in. Until that time comes, you are mine. By the end of that, your tight little cunt will curve to my cock."

Hermione felt a pulse travel through her body straight to a foreign place in her gut. He picked her up and shoved her back on the bed roughly.

"I'm going to teach you everything you need to know." He said biting her neck. She cried out, "I thought you said you'd make it feel good. You're hurting me."

He pulled back and stared at her, onyx eyes turning back to slate grey as he sighed. He kissed her softly again, trailing kisses to the valley between her breasts. "For some reason, I may need you to remind me. Usually, I'm pretty good at this."

"Usually, you mean you've done this to other girls? How many were there?" She asked a slight twinge pulling at her insides. She was jealous, she'd always been jealous of the other lives he had lived while hers remained the same thing over and over. No matter what she did she was always Gryffindor's golden girl.

"Don't ask questions to which you do not want an honest answer, Hermione." He said trailing his kisses down her body.


	2. Chapter 2

Draco continued trailing his kisses over her body. He started at her neck and followed a path from her shoulders, down to her hands; carefully placing a kiss on the inside of each wrist. He looked up at her to find her staring curiously down at him. Still lower he kisses her, almost reverent in his exploration of her. Draco kissed down her right leg and back up her left, unbuttoning the clips to her stockings and rolling them down.. Cautiously he placed a kiss on each hip bone. In response, Hermione blew out a long stream of air, her body finally starting to relax.

Draco slowly crawled up her body before shifting his weight to one hand, reaching behind her neck and kissing her for all she was worth. Slowly, Hermione melted into the kiss. Somewhere inside her alarm bells had been ringing saying that this was wrong they had been silenced at that kiss. As they broke away for breath, Hermione smiled gently at him.

"You're amazing." She breathed.

"And I haven't even gotten to the best part" Draco smirked before making his way back down to the foot of the bed he pulled off the lacy little panties as he went.

"What are you doing?"

"Haven't we talked about you not talking? Trust me." He said and she did, she wasn't sure why, but she did.

Draco slowly pushed her legs apart pushing her feet up to rest on the bed. "Draco, I don't know about this."

Draco responded by leaning down and inhaling deeply. When his eyes opened, they were pitch black. Hermione assumed it was a trick of the light, worrying more about what he was about to do.

Draco leaned his face down to her sex but made a quick detour slowly kissing and nipping at the inside of each of her thighs. Immediately, heat flooded through Hermione's entire body. She squirmed wishing he would just move to her center.

"Draco, please." She moaned.

"Please what, Princess?" The nickname briefly registered but she shrugged it off in need.

"Do something." She begged.

"I am doing something." He said kissing a circle around her mound but still not quite reaching where she wanted him.

"Dracooooooooooh." Her pleas turned into a moan as Draco licked a slow line up her center. He continued to lick and kiss her sex slowly, torturing her. In an effort to get more friction, Hermione had wrapped one leg around his back and began moving herself. A string of tension began to pull itself taught deep inside her.

"That's it, love. Take what's yours." Draco's words only served to encourage her more as she wrapped the other leg around to greet its twin.

"Oh, Draco, please. Ngh. Merlin, Draco, don't stop! Something's happening. I think I'm going to-mmmmm Draco!" Hermione cried to the heavens.

As she rode out her orgasm, Draco visibly shivered, caressing her thighs, her bum, her back anything he could reach. Hermione felt a scratch against both legs and she moaned before looking down to see that the feather light scratches had drawn blood. When she looked at Draco she could have sworn he had talons but when she blinked they were gone again.

Again he crawled over her, predatorily before placing a kiss on her lips. Hermione moaned again, tasting herself on his lips. She reached up dragging her hands through the hair at the nape of his neck. After a few more seconds, Draco pulled back pulling his robes off as he went.

"Hermione, let me have you." He said in between kisses, removing another layer of clothes.

"What do you mean? I'm right here, I literally can't go anywhere." Kiss.

"Say you don't want to." He begged, pulling down his pants and boxers.

"Draco, there's no place else I want to be." Hermione said, and it was true for some reason she could never think to leave him. Kiss.

"I'll keep you safe, ok? Would you like that? You'll be mine. You are mine." Draco said, black eyes boring into hers.

"Draco, your eyes, what's wrong?" She asked him moving her hands to his chin and his face.

"Nothing. Say it. You're mine and I'm yours. Nobody else's. And you won't leave me. You accept me." Draco spat through tightly clinched teeth, as if sensing her hesitation he simultaneously rubbed himself against her entrance and lowered his head to nip and kiss at her neck. "Say it."

"Mmmmm, I'm yours, Draco. Just yours. Forever and ever. Ngh, oh. I won't leave you, I swear it." She breathed in between moans. "I'll accept you. If you promise to try and keep me happy. And promise that you're only mine." Hermione's mind worked faster than she liked to believe, even in the throes of passion she really was the brightest witch of her age. The onyx eyes, the talons, the smelling, but the final straw was him needing her to tell him that it was ok. He was Veela and she was his mate; there was no way out of this.

"I'm yours. I'll make you so happy. Say it." He begged pressing at her entrance.

"I accept you." She whispered. before she could breathe in again Draco had pushed into her to the hilt.

She gasped as the pain ripped though her, it was a sharp pain unlike any other she felt before.

Draco ground his teeth together waiting, trying not to move. "Just this time and I'll never hurt you again." He said placing a kiss on her cheek.

This seemed to take away some of the pain as Hermione wiggled underneath him. Draco pulled out and pushed back into her again. The pain lessened. Again Draco pulled back out and pushed in completely. Hermione blew out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding.

"Hermione…you're so tight, gah, warm. Mine, mine, mine, mine." He said punctuating each word with a stroke.

"Yesss, Draco all yours. You belong to me. Please, Draco." Hermione begged not knowing what she was begging for.

Draco picked up the pace, slamming into her and adding a curl upwards to the end. Leaning down to kiss her, Hermione laced her fingers behind his head. With each stroke Hermione found it harder and harder to breathe. A coil was pulling itself tighter and tighter in her stomach, still she could not finish. Hermione looked up to see Draco's features morphing into a slightly angrier version of themselves teeth elongating to a point. Hermione knew what was coming and before she had time to brace herself, Draco plunged his teeth into her still maintaining a steady rhythm. Hermione saw stars, falling over and over and over a cliff as she came, as Draco drank from her and she came again. Still he did not stop, finally she leaned up and bit his shoulder, drawing blood from him and he cried out her name. Hermione could feel him pulse deep inside her where they were joined and the feeling was so much that she came again. Their names on each other's lips.

Draco rolled off to the side of her pulling her to lay over his chest.

"So you're Veela." It was less of a question and more of a statement

"Yes."

"And I'm your mate."

"Yes."

"Did you know the last time?"

"I suspected but I wasn't sure until about a month ago, that's when I had Theo bring you to me."

"We are bonded."

"Yes."

"Can you feel me?"

"Like I feel the air coming into my lungs."

"What does that mean?" She asked.

"It means, I know you're there but it's not as overwhelming as I thought it would be."

"Did something go wrong?" She asked sitting up to look at him.

"Can you feel me?"

Hermione searched the back of her mind where she had long stored all her other memories and emotions. Sure enough, there he was, more like a presence than a force, curled just around the edge of her consciousness.

"Yes."

He looked down to glance at the juncture of his own neck and then hers.

"Nope, everything is perfect."

"Right then. Tell me the truth about everything. Where are we? Why are we? Where you've been. Everything."

Draco took a deep breath, though he had anticipated having to tell her eventually he didn't think she would catch on this fast. Oh well, the bonding had been successful there was nowhere to go now even if she wanted to. He would easily track her to the end of the Earth, maybe beat her there.

Step 1 was complete.


	3. Chapter 3

"Where would you like me to start?" Draco asked in answer to the unasked question in his mate's big doey brown eyes.

Hermione sat up, bringing the sheet up to cover herself. Draco's heightened senses and their bond served to alert him to Hermione's insecurity before she asked the question. His eyes allowed him to observe the way her body tensed as she turned away from him slightly. Draco's ears picked up the increase in speed in her heart. He even heard the way her breath caught in her throat before she cleared it to cover the sound. Hermione squared her shoulders and lifted her chin just a tad before turning back around to face him. Though she seemed perfectly composed on the outside, the look in her eyes broke his heart, and before she could ask her question he knew what it would be.

"Draco, you kept referencing a _He_ but as long as I've known you, you've never been afraid of anyone after Voldemort fell. You made a promise to yourself never to let the fear of a name scare you into submission again."

"Yes." He breathed, alarmed that she didn't immediately ask her question.

"You have enough rank to walk about freely, grab me, sneak into my room and stay in my bed after we- after you- after the bonding." She stumbled over her words but regained her confidence.

"Yes."

"There is no _He_."

"There is a _He._ It just doesn't apply to you because you're his mate. Hermione I am not a gentle man, nor do I pretend to be. Even when you knew me, you knew that my soul was as black as the 'uniform' I donned at Hogwarts. Veela runs this whole operation, he is much more relentless a ruler than I. I was kidnapped, it's true but I chose to stay. I worked my way up, playing the part of the loyal servant all the while inciting mutiny in the hearts of the others. When the time came for a coup d'etat, I was elected by the others. I saw my chance to be on top and I took it."

"That's what I thought." Hermione turned her back to him again, this time rising from the bed dragging the sheet along with her. Slowly, she made her way to where she knew the chair from earlier to be. Vision slightly sharper from the bonding, she found it without a problem. As she sat she allowed the tears to fall down her face silently.

Draco could feel his mate's grief rising like a wave on the sea through the bond they shared.

"Hermione," he moved to leave the bed.

"No. Don't. Just stay there. I can't do this with you so close to me. Your smell is like a calming draught… just don't." She said flinging one arm out in front of her while using the other to secure her sheet to her.

"Hermione-I"

"How long?"

"I'm not sure I know what you mean."

"You said you knew for sure I was your mate about a month ago and had Theo bring me to you. Which means your little uprising was longer ago than that. How long did you have the capability to free me from my torment, choosing to let me suffer?"

"Hermione I never meant to-"

"-How long?" She cut him off, her voice becoming shrill in her quest for answers.

"It's been a little over a year." He sighed, shoulders slumped in embarrassment.

Hermione's breath again caught in her throat. "A year? Draco, a year? I looked for you. I reported you missing to the ministry, I organized search parties. I put up fliers. I-I even went to Malfoy Manor praying that you were alive and that you had just decided you didn't want to see me. I had the Aurors and the Muggle Police looking for you. I talked to anyone I could find, old Slytherins…even Pansy. I thought you were dead!" She yelled the last part, crying in earnest. The tiny sobs wracked her body until she sagged from the chair. "No, I will not shed another tear for you Draco Malfoy. I cried myself to sleep for months! Months, Draco! I barely ate. Everywhere I looked there were signs of you. Your clothes in my apartment, your keys on my key ring. Your smell. You were there but you weren't there and then to find out that you could've been there. That's what hurt the most, Draco is that you left me. Everything that I had going on, I needed you and you left me. I don't know how I'm supposed to just forgive you and just forget that ever happened." Resolve seeped into her voice as she stood from the chair. Wrapping the sheet around herself again more tightly she began making her way to the door.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going for a walk. I need some space." She said hand on the doorknob.

As soon as the door opened, Draco was on her. He had her rotated to him, back slamming the door closed, palms on either side of her head on said door.

"You are my mate; there is not a space between us. I have graciously consented to answering your questions. I even consented to your request that I stay on the bed, though I could hear your breath coming out shorter, feel your pain. You will stay here until we have finished talking and you will never attempt to leave me in such a state of discontent, especially not dressed like that, ever again; do you understand?" His black eyes bore into hers.

Hermione folded her arms across her chest and jutted out her chin in an act of defiance. "You do not own me, Draco. I will do as I please. I will stay but do not attempt to command me. Do you understand?" She asked the last part slowly as if speaking to a petulant child.

The splintering of the door as it was pushed from its frame could be heard thundering down the hall. Hermione jumped in shock, bringing her hands up across her face to shield herself from the door.

"Hermione." Draco rasped out her name as if in pain. When she looked next his eyes had resumed their normal state of quicksilver. "I'm sorry. I don't know what happened. I let him get away from me. Please don't leave." He reached out both hands turning them down in an effort to calm her.

"What just happened?" She asked, clearly shaken up.

"It's Veela. Usually, he and I live next to each other, he's like an inner monologue but sometimes he takes over. He would never physically hurt you though. Maybe the things around but not you. I'm sorry."

Hermione moved back into the room plopping down on the bed to steady herself. "Ok."

"Ok?"

"Yes."

"Alright. Questions, you had questions for me."

"What took you so long to come for me?"

"For the most part, I was planning for you the entire way. There were a few lingering supporters of Marcus Flint, the one before me and I wanted to make sure you'd be completely safe before then. Also, the mate dream doesn't happen until the 21st birthday. I wanted to be sure it was you before I doomed you to me for life."

"You wanted a chance to sow your wild oats before you had to be with me forever."

"I'll admit that was part of it, but I know your values. There's a time when right before that I was so randy I needed to shag everything that moved; it's a Veela thing. You wouldn't have-with me and I didn't want to try to bond you unless you were actually my mate. Some were also extremely averse to the idea of you being here. We had to weed them out too."

"Are there really other girls here? Is this a whore house?"

"Yes and no. The other girls are recruits or girlfriends of some of the higher ups."

"What are you recruiting for?" She asked cautiously.

"Well, hear me out on this. Equality. Since the war, Pure-bloods have been stigmatized as self-righteous, self serving bastards and people who were on the light side look down upon us. We can't get jobs. Even those of us who were on the right side towards the end."

"Oh cry me a river, Draco. That was my life for seven years."

Draco was seriously thrown off by her response. "What? That can't be Hermione Granger, champion of lesser beings. Founder of Spew."

She laughed awkwardly. "I'm just kidding. And that's S-P-E-W. I definitely noticed that and I was working with magical law enforcement for some social reform. Wait- if you just want equality, why do you recruit? Why does there need to be a leader? Why can't you just go en masse and speak to someone? Why couldn't you just ask me? That seems suspicious, Draco especially the way you're gathering."

"The old leader didn't want reform he wanted another war. In my time here, I've been able to do a lot of good in that particular department and am working to make us an established legal organization."

"Well good. I'm proud of you then. You didn't need to be gone two years for that though."

"Hermione, the rules were strict, the hours were long, the people were bigoted. I don't need to tell you what happened when you get a bunch of riled up, people together."

"Whatever you say, Draco. So have you come up with a name? Names are important for political organizations."

"No, do you have any suggestions?"

"I'm thinking PB & J."

"what's that? Pure Blood Association for Justice. Plus muggle borns and half-bloods will get a kick out of the reference to muggle food." She giggled.

"No. I don't want to put Pure blood in the title I wouldn't want to make anyone weary or discourage anyone else from joining our cause."

"You're right, that was a silly idea. Ummm how about ABE? Association for Blood Equality. Plus there's a lot we could do in reference to a very influential muggle political figure but it isn't a blatant nod to the guy."

"Ok, love. I could live with that." Cautiously, Draco finally moved back toward the bed, stark naked he passed by her as she looked up giving her a direct view of himself as he did so.

Smirking he took note of where her eyes had been glued. Hermione blushed when she'd been caught.

"See something you like?"

She responded by blushing harder.

"There's no need to blush love. There's nothing wrong with a wife admiring her husband."

"Hmmm? You didn't even propose, Draco."

"Sure I did. I asked you to accept me and you did. Then we made love, the bonding ceremony between Veela and mate is the equivalent to that of wizard and wife, if not stronger."

"We're married?"

"We certainly are, Mrs. Malfoy. I thought you knew the rules… the whole brightest-witch-of-her-age thing. I should have checked. Any minute now we should receive an owl from the Ministry which will have taken notice of our names on the ledger. They'll ask if we want to make it official by Wizarding standards too. Though in all circumstances Veela law trumps Wizarding law. You'll just have the option of signing for the certificate and name change if you want it. Will you Granger-Malfoy or just take Malfoy."

"I kept my virginity for my husband, of course I'll take his name." She stated matter of factly leaning toward him unconsciously.

In a second, he was around her side of the bed lifting her effortlessly in triumph. "Oh, Hermione Malfoy. The things that you say with that mouth would drive the strongest, most emotionless man to wild, passionate love."

"I know," she giggled, "look at you." He brought her down to him for a kiss.

"Why can I see in the dark now?" She asked after they broke the kiss.

"Heightened senses from when I injected my venom into you after I had some of your blood."

"How often will you drink from me?" She asked looking away shyly as he set her to rights.

"Probably every time we shag." Hermione frowned at the use of the offensive term.

"Don't call it that. Why?"

"It heightens the experience. Plus you taste bloody amazing, your blood is singing to me always. From time to time you will drink from me too."

"We didn't use a contraceptive charm!" She blurted.

"Of course not. You're my mate. We will have children when the bond feels we are ready."

"What if I don't want to have children?" She asked face contorting into a frown.

"You don't want children? Oh, I thought we had talked about. Oh, well, yes whatever makes you happy. The Malfoy line will end with me."

Hermione burst into laughter, "you should've seen your face! I really had you going there."

Draco scooped her back up and tossed her on the bed. "You sneaky witch. I'm going to teach you a lesson." He said crawling over her. Hermione squealed and hit him square in the face with a pillow which promptly resulted in an epic pillow fight ending when they heard the familiar tap of an owl against the window. Both Hermione and Draco immediately recognized the Ministry owl immediately.

"_Dear Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy,_

_The Ministry has received evidence of a mutually desired Veela bonding. As per Code 173.42 of the Veela/ Mate protection act; A Veela bonding that takes places safely and fully may be recognized by the Ministry should the couple choose to do so. In accordance with the above state act a Ministry official would be made available to you should you chose to perform a traditional hand fasting as well. Please complete the form below stating whether a name change is to take place. Written request for an official to perform the handfasting may be sent to the Ministry at any time. _

_Thank you,_

_All the Best_

_Mirabella Algadar_

_Department of Marital Affairs."_

Hermione and Draco looked at each other before shrugging and filling out the form to request her name be officially changed to Malfoy. They provided the owl with treats and tied the letter to its leg before it took off out of the open window.

"Draco where are we?"

"In the French part of Switzerland."

"Why?"

"It is beautiful here, no one knows us and Wizarding Switzerland is still neutral."

"Why does it need to be neutral?"

"You think too much." He said kissing her deeply before pulling the sheet away from her body.

"Draco the door!" Hermione said as she remembered how it had shattered under what looked like minimal effort from Draco.

"Bloody hell, I forgot about that ruddy door, see what you do to me, minx? No matter." He said wrapping her back in the sheet before picking her up bridal style. "Now that we are officially married, aren't I supposed to carry you over the threshold?"

"That's a muggle tradition. How do you know about that?"

"I read about muggles all the time." He said walking out of the room and down the hall passing two guards on patrol as they went. When they passed Draco went out of his way to squish her body to hers even more.

"How strong are you?"

"About three times as strong as the average muggle. I am also very adept at wandless and wordless spells, even before my inheritance kicked in."

"When do I get to meet everyone? We need lights in here it's so creepy without lights."

"Soon, my love. I'm not sure you'd like it with the lights, the darkness preserves the mystery."

"How long will we stay here? I didn't go to school for all that time for nothing. I was doing my supervision training. I'm so close."

Draco had decided that she wasn't going back but did not give voice to this instead he said, "Welcome to our room." With a flick of his head the door was open. When he sat Hermione down inside the room her mouth dropped open in shock.

"Wow." Was the only sound she could muster as she turned to looked around the entirety of the room before staring at him in disbelief.

**A/N: **Please shoot me a review if you get a chance. Constructive criticism is always appreciated. Let me know if there's anything you'd like clarified or would like to see.


	4. Chapter 4

"What is it too much? We can change it if you want."

"It's beautiful, Draco." Hermione looked around at the room, it was easily two or three times the size of her former common room. "How did you get all this in here? I mean how is it so big? This room is enormous. Is everyone else's room this large?" She asked turning towards him.

"If they're smart; a simple undetectable extension charm works wonders."

Hermione looked around to take in the room once again. The room itself was blue and gunmetal with silver or black accents. The wall behind the large dark walnut bed was a deep navy blue. The bed itself was a king sized, four poster bed of the same color, when you walked in your eyes were drawn into it. The bed spread was black and faded into a mountain of white, and grey pillows. There was a small bedside table with a single drawer next to the bed across from which a matching walnut dresser held six drawers. Coming out from the bed on all sides and even spilling over to the adjoining sitting room was a beautiful grey area rug. The seating area had two overstuffed, charcoal colored arm chairs facing each other with a small walnut coffee table in between the two, each chair held a white and orange stripped pillow. Even further into the room, to the right of the sitting area was a grand bay window with a bench seat. Two floor-to-ceiling built in shelves lay on either side of the large window each filled to the bottom two shelves. The bench seat had a grey and black striped cushion on it which looked comfortable enough to sit on for hours. Hermione ran into the room before turning back to Draco, her child like smile causing him to grin wildly at her.

As she began pulling him over to the bookcase she felt him stop walking. When she turned to investigate, his smile grew wider and he nodded in the direction of two shiny, reflective charcoal rectangles each about the same length as Hermione's outspread arms. Following him over, Hermione pensively studied the surface before touching where the handles would be had the rectangles been doors. Immediately the rectangles shifted into mirrors. Hermione giggled at this, trust Draco to make a big deal out of mirrors, she thought. Draco slyly looked over at her before touching her mirror and rubbing a small circle right where her sex was. Hermione blushed furiously looking away from him and as she did the mirrors slid away to a walk in closet.

The entire thing was white. The thick shaggy white carpet spanned the length of the room and was about half as deep as the bedroom. In the center on the ceiling was a large tear drop chandelier which provided lighting to the room. If you looked closely you could see a dragon, an otter, a mermaid, and a unicorn hanging from said chandelier. On each side were five sections for clothes and one section devoted to shoes. The right side had a section for shirts, pants, skirts, and jackets, then gowns before the shoes, all of which were arranged by color. The left size had shirts, pants, shorts and tuxes before shoes. It all seemed to have been arranged with a great amount of care, leaving space for future purchases. At the back of the closet were two vanity tables with open drawers displaying different types of jewelry earrings, necklaces, bracelets and the like. Above each vanity sat square mirrors and in the center of the back wall was a three panel mirror to assess the success or failure of a particular outfit. Hermione rounded on him.

"These aren't my things. Where are my things?"

"I got you a few new things."

"Draco, I like my clothes, this kind of stuff isn't really my style. I don't mean to sound ungrateful but I don't look good in stuff like this. I'm not a glamorous type of girl."

"Hermione, don't you know how beautiful you are?" He asked coming to stand in front of her holding both her hands. "Inside and outside, you're the most beautiful woman I've ever met, and I've met _a lot _of women. You don't have to feel limited to plain looking things. Granted, you make everything I've ever seen you in look amazing, but you're a Malfoy and you must _Always _dress to impress. That won't be a problem for you because people will be begging you to be seen wearing their clothes. Hey, just give it a shot, if you don't like it we'll take it all back. For now I really need you to look the part of Draco Malfoy's wife when we meet the rest of the guys."

Hermione pulled away from him. "I am much more than Draco Malfoy's wife. Actually outside of this place, you would probably want to be considered Hermione Malfoy's husband. I'll give your clothes a try though because clothes obviously mean a lot more to you than to me." Hermione had missed the way Draco's eyes started to darken just before she agreed to wear the clothes.

"Thank you." He spoke again before stepping closer and re establishing their physical contact. He brought her hands together before placing a kiss just so in the center of her knuckles. Draco slowly brought her to him and wrapped his arms around her breathing in her scent. They spent a moment like that; him inhaling and memorizing her scent, her listening to and memorizing the sound of his heartbeat. Hermione sighed deeply before pulling back slightly to look up at him.

"Draco?"

"hmmm"

"will you take me around the rest of the building?"

Draco sighed before releasing her. "Of course. I need your help with something first."

Hermione bounced up and down a little at the idea of Draco asking for her help. She had briefly started to worry he was going to try to make her a trophy wife. "Anything for you, Draco."

"Get on your knees."

"Wha-what?" Hermione asked looking startled.

"Get. On. Your. Knees." He said placing one hand upon her right shoulder and pushing her down.

Before she could really assess the situation Draco had unbuckled his pants and pushed them down his legs. Standing back up to his full height, he found that his wife looked like a frightened puppy.

"Oh come, now. There's nothing to worry about, love. This is a natural occurrence between two consenting married adults. You've held it in your hands before, it's kind of like that. I need you. My Veela needs to have you."

"Can't we do it some other way? I don't like feeling like I'm submissive."

"You talk too much, wife. It's a Veela thing, you'll get used to it. I am afterall, a dominant Veela."

"What is that?" She asked looking up, eager to learn more.

"After." He stated simply holding himself to her lips. Draco's tone left no room for argument.

"I don't know how."

"I'll teach you to please me." He said pressing himself against her lips willing them to open.

Hermione wrapped her hand around it and lifted it slightly here and there giving it a full inspection. "It isn't a muggle joystick, sweetheart. Give it a kiss." Draco didn't need the bond to read the anxiety in her eyes. She stared up at him nervously before looking down and placing a light kiss to his semi-hard member. When she did, she felt the pulse that traveled through it.

"Draco!" She gasped.

"Again." Came his response, "just do what you think would feel good to me." Draco baited her with a hint of a challenge.

Hermione kissed it again before tentatively reaching out her tongue to lick the slit. Again she felt the pulse of blood traveling through his hardened member.

"Don't be shy." Hermione responded by licking around the entire head which caused Draco to let out a hiss of air.

She put her lips to the tip and slid them down the head keeping a tight seal until she reached the pucker that let her know she was at the shaft. Then she slid back the way she came.

"There you go, Mine." He said wrapping his hand around hers and pumping it up his shaft. "Mine."

Hermione wasn't sure if he was saying she was his or making some sort of new nickname for her but she liked the way he said it and decided to see how many times she could get him to say things just like that. Keeping her hand moving up and down she added her mouth to the mix, sliding her mouth up and down on him, keeping as tight a seal as possible, even hallowing out her cheeks on the way back up. "Fuck."

Slowly Hermione sped up her motions, adding a twist to the end of her hand movements. "Hermione, don't stop, baby." Draco let out in a whisper.

Suddenly, as Hermione realized that she was the one causing Draco to lose control, she didn't much feel like a submissive at all. The rush of power caused her to be more determined than ever to get Draco off.

She took on more and more of him bobbing faster up and down, sucking, kissing, and licking. Hermione realized how turned on this whole scenario had made her and she found her clit underneath the sheet and began to rub in time with Draco.

"Oh yeah, baby, rub that little clit for me. You love this don't you?"

Hermione hummed around him in response. "Bloody hell, woman, you'll drive a bloke to murder."

Hermione rubbed herself more furiously unintentionally speeding up her motions with Draco as well continuing to hum periodically.

"Oh, you love being on your knees in front of me like the little slut you are. Don't you? You're such a dirty girl, Hermione." Hermione paused only momentarily before his words sunk in and she felt a wave of heat and need crash over her.

"Are you going to cum for me? Hmm?" Hermione hummed what she hoped was the affirmative. "I love it when you hum around my cock. Rub that little pussy for me, faster."

"You're such a dirty little slut, on your knees servicing me like this. I'm about to cum, slut. When I do, I want you to pull this cock deep in the back of your throat and I want you hum around it. Stop rubbing yourself." Hermione reluctantly withdrew her hand.

"Look at me." Hermione looked up but didn't stop her movements. "Yeah that's it. Look at me while I shove this cock down your throat. He batted her hand away before placing both of his hands behind her head. Draco began thrusting himself into her throat faster and faster.

"You want me to cum don't you, my lovely little mate?" Hermione hummed a response.

Hermione felt Draco's member pulse and tighten before he began fucking her face in earnest. After a few more strokes his movements became jerky and erratic before he stopped all together, member pressed against the back of her throat. "Swallow it all."

Hermione tried to swallow but Draco hadn't removed himself from her persons. She only got a little bit in when she tried to pull back. Draco's hands were still around her head and he wouldn't let her go so she gagged a bit. After Draco was finished pumping his seed into her throat he moved back and Hermione immediately fell to all fours coughing.

"Don't worry, love, you'll get used to it."

Hermione turned to him with squinted eyes but didn't say anything.

Draco closed the gap between the two of them before grabbing hold of Hermione's unruly curls. "Ouch, Draco, that smarts a bit."

"Be silent, mate. I'm not yet finished with you, nor you with me." The last part served to make Hermione feel a little better.

Draco dragged Hermione out of the closet and to the far end of the room. There were another set of doors there the same wooden color as the rectangles except they had handles. Draco used his free hand to open one of the doors before throwing Hermione to the floor.

Hermione's knees hit cold tile and she looked down to see it. There was shiny marble sand brown tile all through the bathroom which was almost as big as the closet. She looked around and took a quick inventory of the room knowing Draco would be on her soon. Closest to the door was a long dark walnut his and hers sink with plenty of counter space between the two. Two cabinets and three drawers were under the sink with a towel rack just to the side of each of the sinks. There was a shower a bit further in with multiple heads coming in from different directions and a gigantic claw foot tub the size of a small swimming pool sat on a slightly raised platform parallel to a large window. It was beautiful.

"Take off that silly sheet."

Hermione unwrapped the sheet and stared up at Draco. She had read about things like this where there was a dominant/submissive relationship which some argued came from the dominant and submissive relationship between a Veela and their mate. Of course it could go either way the Veela wasn't always dominant. She wondered if Draco would let her try it on him sometime.

"Rub that pretty pussy again."

"Draco-"

"Now." Hermione began to do as he said. In no time she had forgotten all her inhibitions and began rubbing in earnest trying to get to her goal.

Before she could Draco snatched her up by the hair and walked her to the shower. Lazily flicking his wrist the water began to pour from the showerheads. He threw her in roughly and she fell to the floor. "I love seeing you on your knees for me," he said squatting down in front of her. "Kiss me." Hermione wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him for all he was worth. "You'll do, mate."

He stood her up and turned her to face the wall. She didn't immediately know what to do so he swept her hair to the side and kissed her neck gently. Hermione's breath started to pick up as Draco reached one hand around and began tugging lightly at her nipple. "Draco."

"You say my name so beautifully, pet."

His other hand began tracing a path up and down her spine which caused Hermione to shutter. He kept on tugging at her nipples and reached the other hand to pull her close to him grinding himself into her behind. "Draco, please."

"What are you asking for?"

"You." Draco seemed to relish the response for a moment before teasing her sex dragging his fingers near but never touching what she wanted. "Must you torture me, Draco? Please shag me."

"I thought we weren't to use that word," he pointed out beginning to rub slow circles over her clit.

"Dracoooo, please."

"Your wish is my command." He kissed each of her shoulders, bringing the corresponding arm to brace her weight against the glass.

"Arch your back." Hermione scrunched herself up like a scared cat.

Draco barked out a laugh before pushing her the other way. "Always like this. Whenever I take you from the back, I should be able to feel this dip." He said running his hand over the curve in her lower back before grinding against her.

"mmmmm"

"Say you understand." Draco said sliding himself up and down her wetness at her entrance."

"Ugh. I'll do whatever you say, Draco just now, please." He shoved into her to the hilt causing her to immediately tumble over the edge. Hermione looked back in embarrassment after she came down from her high.

"It's ok, love, it's nothing to be embarrassed about. See how much pleasure I can bring you if you trust me."

She nodded. "I'm going to make you do it again ok?" She nodded grinding herself back against him whishing he would move inside her.

He tsked at her, "don't be naughty, Hermione." He said pulling out and sliding back into her smoothly. He continued the agonizing pace never breaking the push pull rhythm he had created. "Dracoooooo." Hermione moaned out.

"You like that, slut?"

"Yes, sir." Hermione responded to the phrase automatically before realizing what she said. Draco just smirked looking up briefly before looking back down to watch himself disappearing into her.

"Good girl." He praised her and Hermione shivered in delight. Draco drove himself into her. Again. Again. "Hermione…'Mione… Mine." He said between strokes.

"Draco please, faster." Draco picked up his pace. "Please, sir." She begged. Draco picked up his pace again, slamming into her. He began to roll his hips as he was going in and out and Hermione cried out his name as she tumbled over the edge the clenching over her womb calling to him and bringing him over too. He sunk his teeth into her taking slow pulls from her causing her to orgasm again after which he withdrew his fangs with a smirk. Hermione turned and hugged him before biting him as well drinking until the coil deep in her womb no longer felt taut with need.

"I love you." She said sleepily before slapping her hand over her mouth and trying to exit the bath.

"Stay." Draco commanded and Hermione instantly stilled not knowing why. "It's ok, Hermione, you're my mate. You don't need to be embarrassed. I also just gave you what you needed and you're a little high. Come to me." Hermione's body automatically walked back to him until she was in his arms.

"I'm going to wash you, then you can wash me and then we can meet everyone. Does that sound ok?" He asked rubbing her shoulders.

Hermione nodded shyly. He reached outside of the shower doors and picked up the wash towels handing one to her with a smile. Draco made a citrus shower gel appear and got to work lathering the towel. He placed kisses on her skin while he washed. When he got to the apex between her legs Hermione hesitated "maybe I should."

"Hermione how many times must we go over this? We are soul mates, we're going to spend the rest of our lives together and you belong to me…"

"You belong to me too."

"Yes. We are two halves of one whole. I will feed you, wash you, care for you, and take you because you are mine. Get used to it." He said to her and she could swear his tone darkened.

Hermione washed him in relative silence asking a few questions and discovering that they were in a compound and that they lived in groups. The houses were connected by underground tunnels and that they were to have dinner with everyone. Hermione washed his manhood mostly without looking at which caused Draco to smirk at her. After rinsing off, Draco dried them with a charm and they padded over to the closet naked holding hands.

Draco told Hermione that they always got dressed for supper; this basically meant no jeans or anything of that sort. She picked out tan pants and a white button up for him matching a lighter brown belt to shoes of the same color. He brought her over a beige ankle length linen skirt with a white crop top with slightly puffed sleeves and neutral colored wedges. She put on a pale pink stone necklace and applied a little mascara and eyeliner before declaring herself fit for public.

Draco held out his hand to her and they went to their door. "Now remember try to keep your emotions in check, don't let too much show on your face but don't let them run over you. I have complete faith in you." Hermione nodded before kissing his lips briefly and they went to the dining hall.

**A/N: Alright so the sex should level off a bit (but won't go away completely) after this and we'll learn more of the plot. Shoot me a review, I love comments. I probably won't update for a couple weeks, with final projects coming and all but it'll be worth it. Thanks for reading! **


	5. Chapter 5

As they began walking Draco noticed the odd gait and pace with which his usually very able mate was following slightly behind him.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Hermione answered, blushing before looking away.

Hermione and Draco made their way through one hall after the other. Each plain brick, it seemed as though the only beauty she would see was what lie just beyond the door to Draco's room. Each hallway was the same the only difference seemed to be in the shape of the stairways. You had to enter each stairway and go down to come up, which made perfect sense with the whole underground tunnels discussion she'd had with Draco in the bath. Hermione blushed again at the thought. Hermione wondered if she would ever be able to find her way around this place. As they walked, Draco pointed out a few things here and there.

"That's where my second is. If and only if you cannot find me, you go to him."

Again they walked and Hermione struggled to keep up, waddling almost like a toddler as she went.

"Hermione what is the problem?" He asked stopping her outside the doors to a stairway.

"I think something's wrong with me." She said in a voice barely above a whisper.

"What? What's wrong?" He began checking over her, examining and smelling different parts of her with great speed.

"Draco, I mean something wrong with _me._ You know, with my vagina."

"Hermione there's no need to be so crude."

"That is the technical term for it."

"I'm just kidding with you, lighten up, wife. What exactly do you think is wrong? You should have let me know before we left so that I could look at it."

"I can't have you looking _there, _Draco, don't be absurd."

Draco heaved an exaggerated sigh. "If I had a problem I would ask you. We're getting away from the point. What is it-swollen, sore?"

She blushed, "I think it may be a little of both."

"Want me to heal it?"

"You know a spell for that?"

"Of course. Otherwise there would have been too many ladies walking around Hogwarts in a manner similar to your little waddle."

Hermione scowled at him, "no need to boast about how many women you've been with, _Malfoy, _we all heard the stories."

Again Draco sighed, "you're the only one who has ever counted."

"You'll forgive me if I find that a bit hard to believe," she folded her arms, "I'm sure those girl's mothers taught them all types of tricks to try to trap the Malfoy heir."

"And yet, here I am, happily married to you."

"We've been married less than a day."

"Yes, but we dated for quite some time before that. I still have the ring I was planning to use to propose to you. Remind me to give it to you when we get back to our room. No you should have it on when you meet everyone."

"I get it. I'm-umm- fairly uncomfortable here, Draco." In response Draco leaned down and snogged her for all she was worth. Hermione tasted a tangy but sweet liquid in her mouth just before the kiss ended. "mmmm." Hermione hummed contently after they pulled away.

"There you should be all set; veela perks." He said continuing to walk while answering the question he knew was coming.

"So, you can heal me with your venom?"

"Yes."

"Can I heal you?"

"Yes, but you won't like how."

"How?"

"You have to -_present_ yourself to me."

"That's it? My presence will heal you?"

"Only if you're naked and in need of me. Veela are very sexual creature. If you were to be naked, presenting yourself to me- perhaps poised over my face or my cock, my veela would move space and time to give you what you needed. Afterwards I would be weak for about a day but healed, no less."

"That's… I… Ok."

Draco chose not to respond as he continued their trek. They had taken the rectangular stairwell to another floor. "Here's the training room. I try not to go in there. I would like for you to stay out of that room if you aren't accompanied by me. I would skin everyone in the general vicinity if you were hit with so much as a jelly legs jinx."

The dangerous flash in Draco's eyes led Hermione to briefly consider the sincerity of his statement before she shrugged it off. Hermione thought she heard a door open and close but saw no one. The two continued to make conversation as they walked, talking about their futures together.

They'd walked through that hallway, Draco telling her the newest recruits lived closest to the training room. At the very end of that long hall was the circle stairs, taking those up five flights, led them into a mass room with plenty lots of circular tables and one long table on a raised dais towards the front of the room. The room itself was bare except for the candelabras on the table. However, the tables all boasted gold tableware. From the forks to the cups and plates, everything was gold in stark contrast to the aged wood on which the things sat. The chairs themselves were more like wooden folding chairs than anything else.

Again Hermione returned her attention to the front of the room, at the table were six chairs. Four of which were slightly larger versions of the chairs at the other tables, but there were two throne like chairs, something akin to what the Headmaster had at Hogwarts. One was slightly larger than the other which Hermione supposed indicated that it was for her. room draped proudly behind the long table was a black and silver banner sporting two dragons. The dragons were crouched protectively across the top corner of each side of the banner. Under two crossed spears lay a crown above the words "pas de peu de foi". _Not of little faith. _

"Draco?"

"Yes, love."

"Is that the Malfoy Crest?"

"No. It's just something the guys put up one day."

"They're really into this. That seems a little weird to me. All of this seems a little weird to me. I'm still not sure of what they are following, or what you're leading. This is too much, I really need to sit down and hash this out."

Draco turned toward her locking their eyes on each other. "Don't think so much, sweetheart, you'll give yourself a headache. Over the next few days you'll be able to see for yourself. Now, I'm going to show you a few other things. Dinner is about to start and I like to make an entrance."

Hermione made a mental note to think about this more later, there were a few things about her mate that simply did not add up. Draco placed his hand in the small of her back and guided her to a set of doors to the right of the long table. Those doors led directly into the busy kitchen which was filled with house elves.

"Draco-"

"They're paid, they want to be here, and they are educated. Did I mention they want to be here?"

"I want to speak with one." Hermione huffed as she folded her arms across her chest, jutting her chin out.

On cue, a wrinkly looking house elf with wide brown eyes appeared in front of her. The elf's down turned ears reached the area of its hips before ending in a point. The elf was dressed in a little pink tea towel embroidered with the same banner from the breakfast room. The elf, which was presumable a girl, curtsied lightly before speaking.

"Hello Lady, I am your elf, Lolly. The lady wanted to speak with me?"

"Yes, Lolly, I just have a few questions. Do you want to be here? Are you paid? How are you treated?"

"Yes ma'am we want to be here, very much. We like to have something to do to keep us all busy. Also, it's a great social experience being around all these others. Besides being paid, we are treated very well. We have our own quarters; we even have our own beds. We do wish the Master wouldn't pay us. It is offensive."

"So you're happy here?"

"Yes very much so, Mistress. I'm going to get back to work now, remember if you need anything to call out for Lolly."

"Ok. Thank you, Lolly."

"Lolly, could you ask Topsy to get Hermione's ring from our bedroom?" The little elf gave a curtsy and went back to her business.

Draco said nothing but gave a smug smile as he guided her through the back doors and into a backyard. The early evening glow illuminated the backyard. Hermione looked around. There was a large wooden deck about the size of a small house. There were two levels to it, one higher than the other, both lined with wooden benches. There were flowers woven into the lattice of the sides of the deck. Hermione stepped down onto the lower level and looked around at the expanse of the yard. Here and there were large, curved stone benches that looked to be able to sit four people at the most. About a hundred yards away was a grand gazebo the size of a dance floor. Off in the distance there were snow capped mountains that took Hermione's breath away.

"Wow." Hermione breathed taking it all in. "Let's dance."

"Alright, Princess, but only for a while, dinner has already started. I'll race you." Draco said taking off from behind her on the deck.

"No fair," Hermione said running to catch up, "you got a head start." As Hermione ran she found that she was not winded in the least but exhilarated. When she reached the gazebo she needed only to pause for a few short breaths before climbing the steps ready to dance.

"Mate perks?" She looked to Draco quizzically. He nodded, giving a lazy flick of his wrist to start the music. As an orchestra began playing he extended his hand to his wife. She placed her hand in his before exchanging the necessary dips.

"This is one of my favorite songs." Hermione said as she placed her other arm around his neck.

"It's a good song, one of my favorites too. This is our first dance as husband and wife." Draco smiled at her, not a smirk like he usually does but a genuine smile. Hermione's heartbeat quickened as she realized it was the smile reserved only for her. Slowly she molded her body to his as they listened to the ballad Amortentia by the Potions.

_They said I could never change_

_That alone I'd always remain. _

_Some-how I knew _

_The first time I met you_

_Amortentia_

_Though we were just two kids_

_Fall in love we did._

_Yes you stole my heart-_

_Ri-ght from the start_

_Amortentia_

_My love for you _

_Enraptured by your love_

_A gift from Merlin above_

_Ashwinder eggs and rose thorns_

_Peppermint, powdered moonstone_

_Amortentia._

_So suddenly this happened_

_May it never ever end._

_My love, my lifelong friend._

_Amortentia_

As the song ended Draco dipped Hermione and placed a kiss upon her nose. "You're beautiful."

"That's just the Amortentia talking." Hermione joked with a smile.

The two laughed as they made their way back inside. "Remember what I told you. There are going to be lots of questions. Some of the girls won't like you. Be gracious, don't be cold but don't let your feelings show too much. You can be as affectionate as you want towards me as long as it's genuine. You can answer anything you want but you are not obligated. Don't let them get to you. If you want someone to go away you may tell them that they are dismissed. Don't be surprised if someone swears their allegiance to you. I think that's everything. If it gets too rough I'll save you."

"Draco, breathe. I understand. This is some sort of leader's wife thing. I get it. I won't ruin this for you." She stood on her tip toes to kiss him as they re-enter the kitchens.

"Lolly?" The tiny house elf appeared with a bow.

"Yes, Mistress?"

"Could you get the pale pink lipstick from my vanity and bring it down to me, please?"

"Right away, Mistress."

"Topsy?" Another elf appeared in a black tea towel secured in the corner with the same badge. This elf was perhaps not as old as the other, with green eyes, his ears were shorter and he was taller than Lolly.

Topsy bowed and presented a ring box to Draco at the same time Lolly returned with the lipstick requested, mascara and a small towel.

Draco took the ring box from Topsy with a nod of thanks before the elf popped away. Getting down to one knee Draco took her hand. Again he smiled his ridiculously large smile before opening the box with one hand and taking out the ring. Draco placed the ring to her finger before looking up at her. Hermione was staring down at him with tears in her eyes. This is how it should have been. She smiled at Draco and nodded before he slid the ring on her finger. The whole thing had taken place in the span of a few seconds but to the happy couple it felt like minutes had passed. Finally Draco stood and pulled her in for a tight hug. Hermione looked down at the ring, now crying. The green ring flashed red and Hermione was even more excited than she had just been now. She gasped out loud before standing on the tips of her toes for a kiss. Adjusting the rings on her hand she held her hand out in front of her to examine it. The engagement ring, though their actual engagement had been non-existent reflected the two of them as a couple. It was a very large cushion cut, alexandrite ring in a platinum setting. Somehow he had managed to get it in a cathedral setting with diamonds all around it. The band was very much platinum with diamonds all around it. It was beautiful.

"Is this natural alexandrite?" She asked a worried look marring her features.

"Yes. Before you say you can't accept it, I want you to think of the LeStrange vaults, I know you were in there. Now, multiply that vault by twenty-three. That's the Malfoy vault. All of it belongs to us; all of it is being replenished through investments in the muggle and wizarding world. This ring is perfect for you; I saw it and I knew, Hermione. All the stars aligned perfectly for this ring. Let me spoil you every now and again."

Hermione heaved a great sigh before looking down at her hand again. It is a beautiful ring, she sighed before nodding. "I have to get you one. Where are we specifically I may need to arrange a port key to shop? Of course I won't be able to afford anything like this."

"Lausanne, Switzerland. Your name is already on the Malfoy vault just use that money." He said with a shrug.

"You can't just add me like that."

"We're married, no pre-nup you're already added by default."

"Draco, I don't feel comfortable spending your money."

"Then don't spend my money, spend the money left to me by my ancestors." He said with a smug smirk.

Hermione sighed in defeat. "Ok." She turned to get the towel from Lolly. "Thank you Lolly. You're so thoughtful." The little elf beamed at her before popping away. Hermione said wiping the lines she was sure had been drawn into her face from crying. She re-applied her makeup as quickly as possible before turning to Draco.

"How do I look?"

"Stunning. Are you ready?"

"As I'll ever be." She breathed as he took her hand and pushed open the doors.

The chattering room quickly grew silent as more people noticed Draco had entered. With the exception of the long table, everyone else stood. Hermione glanced sideways at Draco trying to figure out if she should smile or stare blankly. Draco's face was set in a mask of indifference. Hermione decided that her best action was affection. She made an obvious motion of scanning the room before looking over at Draco, her face breaking out into a wide smile before she blushed looking away. Draco gave a sideways smirk before kissing their conjoined hands and thrusting them into the air. At this the room burst into loud cheering. Draco dropped her hand to place his hand in the small of her back leading her up to the table before helping her up the stairs behind the platform. Hermione had not noticed how high the table was until she approached it. Draco took her hand helping her up the stairs before pulling out her seat for her like a gentleman. Hermione took her napkin from the set table and placed it in her lap daintily before turning to her husband as he sat. The loud cheering had continued all the way until they reached the top of the platform and Hermione was trying to be as calm as possible but inside she was just about nauseous with everything that was going on.

"Speech!" Came a familiar cry from somewhere to Draco's left. Hermione wanted to turn her crane her head around but she turned her head upward to Draco with a smile instead.

"Speech!" Multiple people in the audience demanded. After about three people the rest of the people broke out into applause.

Draco stood, ever the obliging host, as he raised his hands up for silence.

"You all know, I am not an emotional man (here a small scoff was heard from her right). This day has been a long time coming but here she sits beside me; my wife. Hermione has graciously agreed to help our cause in any way she can. With the brightest-witch-of-our-age at our side, there are no limits to what we can do. Though having my Queen here means the world to me, (he looks at her lovingly before stroking a hand through her hair). Know this, we will keep moving forward. We will press on. When we have been restored to our former places of honor then we can call this a victory." He raised he golden chalice to the group, Hermione raising hers to follow his lead.

Immediately the group chanted, "Honor, Glory, Empire!" This chant became a battle cry until it was so loud Hermione's ears rang.

That did not seem to her like a simple speech about blood equality. Hermione wanted to know now more than ever, exactly what was going here. Never one to show all her cards in public, she played the part of the gracious queen. Throughout dinner she was introduced to Draco's "second" Blaise Zabini, who she vaguely remembered from Hogwarts but hadn't seen since. She was introduced to Daphne and Astoria Greengrass, Adrian Pucey, all close with Draco. Pansy Parkinson was also there eventually she came up to the platform to speak.

"Hello lady, I'm Pansy Parkinson, I'm glad you're here. Please let me know if I can assist you with anything." Pansy's tone was seductive and her eyes seemed to be inappropriately roaming Draco as she spoke. Pansy had grown her hair out and her blue-black tresses fell bone straight past her breasts. Pansy wore a blue, v neck, taffeta gown which puffed out slightly and fell to her knees. She had on evening make up and had somehow managed to make Hermione feel terribly underdressed.

"Ms. Parkinson, when I spoke to you after Draco-left, did you know where he was?"

Pansy put on a satisfied smirk before turning her eyes to Hermione. "Yes." She said smugly. The challenge was clear to Hermione.

"That will be all, Ms. Parkinson." Hermione spoke with a smile of her own. Pansy curtsied before going back to her table.

Blaise whistled lowly. "Somebody's in trouble."

Hermione cleared her throat before returning to her meal of roast duck, carrots and rice.

Draco chanced a glance over at Hermione only to see her delicately place a forkful of duck into her mouth. The smile on her face did not reach her eyes and he searched the bond to figure out what was happening. Betrayal, hurt, anger… lots and lots of anger. Boy, she was better at hiding this than she thought.

"Hermione?"

"Yes, love?" She said wiping the corner of her mouth with her napkin before turning towards him an innocent smile playing on her features.

"Er- the- er, people are going to come now to pledge their allegiance. Not everyone but there are different groups here and they'll send a representative, just give them a nod after they've finished."

"Ok, Draco." She said in s sickly sweet voice that made his heart drop into his stomach.

Seven different men came before Hermione and dropped to their knees before referring to her as "my liege" and placing a fist over their hearts. When they finally looked up she nodded to them and off they went.

Conversation continued into dinner with the people at the table conversing about work, their investments and quidditch.

Theo Nott gave her strange looks all evening and it made her slightly uncomfortable whenever there eyes met.

After dinner people hung around drinking firewhiskey or butterbeer, even honey meade. This went on well into the night. Hermione yawned gracefully behind her hand and Draco took this as his cue to leave.

"My dear friends, it's been a long night and my new wife and I would like to retire to our rooms." Some people clapped and made suggestive sounds but a look from Draco silenced them. Hermione looked down at Pansy for a brief moment as Draco took her hand and led her from the room.

Hermione followed Draco through the endless maze back to their room. He opened the door for her and gestured for her to go through first. She did, heading straight for the closet to change. Hermione loved to sleep naked, but after taking off her clothes decided to wear a shirt to bed. Rifling through Draco's clothes, she found his old quidditch jersey from university and put it on before walking back out. Draco stood in his boxers in the same spot she'd left him in.

Hermione walked past him to the bed.

"Which side do you prefer?"

"The side closest the door." Hermione lifted the blankets closest to the window and got under the covers facing the same window.

"I can feel you. I know you're upset. Let's talk about this. I don't want us to be the type of couple who can't communicate."

"Oh, Draco," Hermione started sweetly turning towards him, "we're already that type of couple. Not only did Pansy Parkinson know where you were, it's obvious that she and that other Greengrass girl are very much into you. There is something fishy going on here. That was not your average presidential speech! These people are looking at you with stars in their eyes. I just had factions –_Factions_ pledge their devotion to me because I'm married to you! You brought me here to be some kind of trophy wife. I want to know what's going on. Actually happening here, or I'm leaving, Draco and death be damned, I will not be back."

In the space of a heartbeat, Draco had jumped onto the bed and was squatting down in front of her. The blackness of his eyes, the extension of his talons and the contortion of his face were all causes of concern for Hermione and though she cowed inside she folded her arms over her, sitting up. "Understand this, mate. You will _not _leave me. Only Death will part us. Whatever is going on here. You are a part of it now." He inched closer. "You are married to _me. _You have my last name. You _belong _to me, with me and so help me Hermione, if I cannot have you in life, I will chase you through the underworld in death."


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer Harry Potter and all the associated characters and books are the intellectual property of J.K. Rowling, Warner bros all those fine folks! **

Hermione's face had morphed from one of belligerence to absolute fear. He had said that he would never hurt her but he had threatened her in a manner befitting an enemy.

After a long silence, Hermione swallowed thickly. She meant to voice her lack of fear of Draco. Her eyes took in the position of his body and her fear increased. Draco squatted over her with his elbows resting on his thighs, hands clasped calmly in between his parted thighs. His head was tilted unnaturally to his right side and he stared at her with a threatening, barely there smile reminiscent of Voldemort himself.

At this inventory, she broke, "Why would you say something like that?" She began to tear up.

Draco said nothing but his body began to shake. "I thought you would never hurt me. Don't you see Draco? Why did your Veela choose me? Why would it choose me to break me? I-I don't want to be broken. I will not be bent. I will not be bowed. I'm Hermione Granger. I'm supposed to be your soul mate." Hermione had uncrossed her arms and began to reach for him when he began shaking harder and it ceased suddenly.

"No, you will not win this one." Draco spoke quietly almost to himself before setting his eyes upon Hermione. "It is true, mate. I gave my word that I would never hurt you. It is also true that you made a vow to me; to never leave me, to accept me and to let me have you. We promised ourselves only to each other. I believe 'forever and ever' is the term you used. After you swore to me these things, I said that I would not hurt you. So you see, mate, this is simple. You will keep your vows and I will keep mine. You mind yourself and your _husband," _he spat the word like it was filthy, "and I will let Draco maintain the illusion of control you so desperately need. You are a bright woman, mate. I chose you because of that, you are passionate, caring, and stubborn, you are also beautiful, inside and outside. You keep me on my toes and you never cease to amaze me; however, I will not be spoken to like a mere man. You will treat me with respect and I will keep you safe. You have no clue what is out there. What the people are planning to do to you. Now please, mate, behave. I do not wish to have similar conversations in the future. Tell me you understand." He reached out to stroke her face and Hermione felt a strong pull in her body to submit to him. She did not. He placed his hands over her bite marks again before making eye contact. "You will submit to me, it is the nature of our bond. Now, tell me that you understand."

"I understand." A single tear fell down her cheek as a light kiss was placed to her lips. When he pulled away, he chuckled a bit.

"Good, here's your Draco." He said casually, as if he were handing the receiver of a telephone off to someone else.

Draco's eyes flashed back to their usual grey and his face and hands returned to normal before he looked down at himself. "I cannot believe he maintained this position for so long." He spoke to himself without thinking.

He looked up to the sound of sniffling. "Oh, Darling." Draco got on his knees to the side of her. "I'm so sorry."

Hermione's body heaved sobs clinging to Draco. When the sobs subsided she stared blankly ahead.

"Would he actually kill me?"

"Most likely he would not but I can't be sure. Veela are typically very devoted to their mates, so much that they can't hurt them. However, it is possible that in his devotion to you he perceives hurt differently where it suits him. It could be that keeping you safe may mean killing you. I would fight like hell to make sure that didn't happen."

"How do I keep him away from us?" Hermione asked tearful eyes looking at Draco hopelessly.

"You submit to me. It's not even that I have to always be right. I like the challenge, but you have got to stop threatening to leave. That isn't what a bonding is about. Certainly we can work through our issues without stomping off like children."

"Did you let him out?"

"No. He kind of just lets himself out," Draco looked away and an awkward silence passed between the two of them.

"I can't just agree with everything you say, Malfoy, I'm not a child. I need to ask questions. I need truthful answers."

"I understand that, however, threatening to leave like a child will get you Veela."

"Is this what you meant in saying that you're a dominant Veela?"

"This is part of it, yes. There are a few different sub categories of Veela. There are, as you know a small number of Veela to begin with. Approximately, 2% have other characteristics that define them. They are Spirit, Dominant and Submissive Veela. Each is an additional curse to supplement the one we already have. Dominant Veela have an unrecorded dark side. We also have the ability to persuade extremely well, are even more possessive than regular Veela. Sometimes I can sway you without knowing I'm doing it."

"How?"

"No one is really sure. We think it has something to do with pheromones. I have a lot of explaining to do, don't I?"

"You do."

"For the most part, I have not lied to you. I may have omitted certain parts, but I did not lie. Everything I did was to protect you."

"Ok."

"What do you want to know about first?"

"Why Pansy knew where you were."

"Ever the jealous wife, my love. Pansy knew where I was because someone other than Blaise needed to know. Aside from the fact that Pansy is also very manipulative and cunning in her own right, I needed to bring someone here who would be able to help me right from the beginning."

"So, you brought her here, before me?" Hermione asked incredulously.

"Yes."

"ok." Hermione said with finality.

"You say you want answers and then you shut down on me. I know you're used to concealing your emotions, with others but we've never been like that. I don't want you to do that with me. Do you want to know or not, Hermione?"

"Fine." Hermione said whipping around. "I want to know why you put that brat Pansy before your mate. She is into you… that little Greengrass girl is into you. How many times must I come second? Will the whole assembly be before me? I don't even know how to deal with this. We never had this problem before your inheritance took over. I would have happily chosen you, just you. Something else is going on here. When I speak of home a subtle look flashes past your eyes, it fades as quickly as it comes but I see it. Why do I get the feeling my own husband is holding me hostage? What is going on here Draco? This is much bigger than equality and all. "Honor, Glory, Empire", the banner, the crest, the seven circles swearing their oath to their Queen; what does all that mean? Do you think I'm some foolish little girl? Do you think you will just sway my every thought? You will be upfront with me, you will consult me and then and only then will I trust you to make decisions for us. If you wanted someone to blindly follow your every command with no questions, what so ever, if you wanted a trophy wife, if you wanted a _Pansy _you should have married one!" Hermione's voice had risen with each sentence. Her body had shifted and turned until she found herself feet flat on the floor flailing her arms wildly. Her magic crackled through her hair as she spook to Draco in a voice only to be described as shrill.

"Veela is proud of you. He wants you to know that this passion, this raw power is one of the reasons we chose you. No one is ahead of you, except me, even that is an illusion for the masses. I will consult you. What I'm about to tell you will be very hard to believe, Hermione. Please let's go sit down." He gestured towards the arm chairs before guiding her over to them.

Hermione removed the orange and white pillow from the grey chair before sitting and placing the pillow in her lap with attitude.

"You know what my job was before I was taken?"

"Draco," Hermione groaned in frustration. "No more games, tell me the truth now!" She stood stomping her foot at now.

"Sit!" Draco spoke in a voice that echoed through Hermione's chest, without hesitation, she did as she was told. "Answer my question."

"You were an auror, Harry was your partner."

"Yes, we were Aurors. Lead Aurors to be exact and at that time we were investigating a subgroup of the Order known as the Cell. The Cell believed in the expansion of Wizarding kind. They had spread their news far and wide and there was an emigration of Wizards to Britain. You recall this?"

Hermione nodded her head. "The Prime Minister had been in talks with the MoM about the mysterious deaths, disappearances and amnesia of hundreds of people and the seemingly shrinking border between our worlds. Not many knew of this. Harry and I were to figure out exactly what was going on. One day when we came in to give a report, Kingsley was gone and Ron was in his place."

"Kingsley resigned, he moved to-"

"No Hermione, there was no resignation from Kingsley Shacklebot. Harry and I received a letter from Kingsley three weeks after his death. It was encoded but the gist of it was that the Cell was getting stronger and they were going to take over the ministry, anyone who opposed would be frozen using something called Cryonics until they were ready to come around to the New World Order. Kinglsey said in the letter that if we received it, they had taken him. The owl who delivered it was told only to do so should Kingsley perish. I would tell you to ask Harry, but he's being watched. They're all being watched, we were being watched. That's why I had to disappear and it had to look authentic when you looked for me we both know you're a horrible liar."

"So this Cell, they hate Mudbloods?"

Draco flinched at her words. "Hermione, don't say that word. Merlin's beard! You throw it out so casually as if it doesn't mean a thing."

"Have you forgotten that I went to war over it? I know what it means. Sometimes it makes me feel powerful to say it."

"You're one of the most powerful people I know, 'Mine."

"What is with this 'mine' thing? Are you saying 'Mione' really fast or have you just resorted to claiming me at all times?"

"It started as me saying 'Mione fast and that blossomed into me liking- loving the way it sounds to constantly call you Mine."

"Sounds a right bit lewd to me, Malfoy."

"Still with the last name, eh?"

"We're getting off topic. What do the Cell want?"

"It seems as though they no longer want to live in the shadows of Muggles. They want everyone to know who we are, what we're capable of, and bow down to us. Even with all the hard work Kingsley did, the Ministry is still corrupt and people are just as scared of Muggles and just as eager to follow as they've always been."

"How do we stop them?"

"You and I will stop them."

"What? Draco I can't. The last war just ended, I don't have the skills or the research. I'm not the same headstrong little girl I was."

"Exactly you're a woman now, which means you have all the skills and more. The fire is still there I saw it in you just minutes ago."

"What is this prophecy?"

"We would have to get to the Department of Mysteries, but two people heard it when it was given. The prophecy said that the sacrifice of a unicorn would sanctify its union with a dragon bringing about the return of old kings; the time of greatest prosperity and gain via the death of a new order. The unicorn who willingly forfeits its purity would be the downfall of her pride."

"Heavy. I've never had a prophecy about me before. What's this reference to a new order? The fact that order is in there has to mean something."

"We suspect this was born out of the Order of the Phoenix."

"They would never-"

"Yet Kingsley disappears and Ronald Weasley of all people is instantly sworn in quietly as Minister of Magic? They were following you, the Weasleys. Harry even told me he suspected that Ginny was just watching him once."

"He never told me that," Hermione protested.

"Granger, be yourself. Be logical, look at the constellations instead of each star."

"Yes, I suppose you're right. This prophecy; the dragon could very well be you, the Malfoy house crest has dragons and your name means Dragon. Why would I be the unicorn? I'm not pure and no one seeks to have my blood. I suppose the reference to pride could actually refer to a lion's pride. I technically was pure when I met you and I did sacrifice myself in that way for you. There's also the illusion to the color changes that unicorn's go through. Gold at birth which could be in reference to my hair or my house. Silver, after my marriage to you as Malfoy women sometimes develop the signature Malfoy locks, and presumably white in our old age. The sacrifice could be my betrayal of my friends. What purity must I forfeit? I'm certain I'm missing something."

"Hermione do you remember when we had Professor Grubly-Plank for a while at Hogwarts?"

"We learned so much, not that Hagrid wasn't a good teacher, just that, -yes. I recall."

"Only the most accursed wretch would choose to steal the blood of a unicorn… Voldemort, Bellatrix. We talked about Unicorns' blood, you remember?"

"Yes, it can keep a person alive even if they're an inch from death but to do so is the greatest crime against them and a gross violation of nature. Oh."

"Exactly, drinking someone's blood is considered to be one of the savage, dark things a person can do. Another form of purity would be your maidenhead."

"Right, that's very important to Veela, right?"

"Yes, had you been touched by another, I would have happily murdered whoever had you first." Draco said with a childlike smile plastered to his face, eyes flickering black. "Then you would be all mine."

"Er- yes, but you didn't have to darling, because I'm all yours."

Draco's eyes paused at grey and he looked over her.

"The return of old kings," Hermione started cautiously. "Is this a reference to the monarchy that used to be the British Ministry of Magic or to the way we live, here, right now?"

"That is something of which I am not certain."

"The seven circles, what do they do?"

"They're just the different departments of our organization. We have the minds, the muscle, the spine, the builders, the testers, the designers, the pawns and of course there's the inner circle. Some of us come from different walks of life but we work together to bring down the cell."

"I'm sure I'll learn more about that as we go. How are you planning to bring the Cell down?"

"That is where I need your help. We need to expose them while simultaneously picking off the leaders at the same time, a coup d'état if you will. At this point, we have a few people who are deep undercover, a few with their feelers out, and a few, like Harry, who know what's going on and can't do anything about it. Hermione we all know that you're the smartest woman of all time, I need your help on this."

Hermione's mind wondered briefly if Draco had only chosen her to help take down the Cell and for a moment she felt the keen sting of love once more. After thinking it over further, Hermione decided that only time would tell what Draco wanted, and that she may be projecting her own insecurities with Draco onto him. Hermione also decided that no matter the case she could not stand aside and let innocent Muggles be murdered for land the Wizarding world has gone forever without. She would help, just as soon as she could find the evidence. She needed to talk to Harry.

"I'll help you, but only after I have reviewed the evidence you have and decided that it supports your previous assumptions. If you wanted my help, all you had to do was ask. You didn't need to marry me," she stood walking back over to the bed. There, she had said it.

"Hermione, don't be like that. I don't know how to deal with constant insecurities Hermione. You weren't like this when we were together before," Draco stated, arms out as he followed her to the bed.

"This is all very convenient, no? You need to overthrow a government and the so called brightest-witch-of-her-age is your mate? I'm just stating what everyone else here is thinking."

"Well, everyone else can sod off. I'm worried about you and me. Come on Hermione. You know me, how long have you really known me? Three years at University, the first two years of your residency, the two years I was gone when have I ever acted the way I have with anyone with you? The bond wouldn't have been successful if you weren't my mate."

For the umpteenth time that night, Hermione groaned in frustration. "I know, it's just that I shut myself off to feeling anything for two years and it's taking longer than anticipated to return to normal. I hate the way those girls look at you."

"They may be looking at me and you may be looking at them and everyone else, but we both know I only see you."

"You said that before your mate dream you needed to sow your wild oats-"

"Just so we're clear here, you used that terminology, I did not."

"Did you sleep with any of them?"

"Yes," Draco answered truthfully.

Hermione inhaled through her teeth.

"Pansy was here we were friends, I had seen her have one night stands and not think twice about it but for some reason she was-is stuck on me. Daphne is mad because I 'ruined' her baby sister. Astoria chased me for months and we dated a bit, but I told her I wasn't looking for anything serious. She said that she wasn't either and when I finally had sex with her it turned out she was a virgin and she thought I would fall in love with her. When I didn't she cried in my bed and refused to leave for two days." Hermione hoped up from the bed.

"Relax, Princess, not this bed. I redid this whole place just for you. I slept with a few people, yes. I love you; I have loved only you, in the whole of my life. I can't see how they look at me and you didn't see the scandalous looks some of those men were giving you. My mate, the audacity, I had to fight Veela not to rip them apart in front of everyone to set an example. Are those your only questions?"

"For now."

"Then come, it has been too long since you were in my arms," Draco spoke from the bed.

Hermione's body began moving without conscious thought. When she got into bed, Draco pulled her tight into his arms and sniffed her hair, her neck and her back before finally releasing some of the tension in his body.

"I need to get a letter to Harry, I will put it in a code only he understands."

"Out of the question, what if he's caught, or it's intercepted?"

"I just said that only he would understand," Hermione snapped with a roll of her eyes.

Draco pulled her closer with a growl. "Write it and I'll look at it before you send it. We can do that and the name change form in one go. The Cell's sources inside the Ministry probably already know we're both alive so we'll have to be extra careful."

"Fine."

Draco's hands began roaming her body.

"Do we all eat breakfast and lunch together as well?"

"Yes," Draco responded tightly though he did not cease the movement of his hands, which prodded and poked, tickled and stroked.

"What time?"

"Seven"

"Are we going?"

"I'm afraid we must make an appearance."

"It's already," She cast a spell to reveal the time and set an alarm, "half one."

"I know, love," Draco began kissing her neck as he rubbed his hands along her thighs.

"Draco, go to bed."

"We are in bed, Princess."

"Go to sleep."

"After." He whispered in her ear as he rolled onto her. There were no sweet, chaste kisses, no lingering rubs, and no gentle caresses. Draco threw Hermione's legs over his shoulders and held her small hands in one of his larger ones as he pounded away into her. He pulled and pinched her nipples roughly as he shagged her with a reckless abandon he had not yet used. Somehow he managed not to hurt her, and the pace began to feel good to her. Hermione found herself at the edge of that imaginary cliff in no time at all and just as she was about to fall Draco's harsh words were whispered into her ear through clenched teeth. "Don't orgasm until I tell you too." After a few minutes, Hermione squirmed uncomfortably as she tried to force down the impending orgasm and to top it all off, Draco began rubbing her clit furiously. Hermione couldn't bare it anymore. "Draco, Draco, please!" She begged.

"Please let me cum!"

"Not yet," he pulled his hand away as he slammed into her.

"Draco-"

"Now, Hermione." No sooner had the words left his mouth had her body involuntarily spasmed at his command. She screamed his name, her throat raw with her efforts. Hermione vaguely felt his teeth pierce the juncture of her shoulder increasing the pressure in her eyes and in her body. Hermione's vision swam and she saw dancing little lights before she blacked out.

When Hermione woke up, she was being nuzzled by a freshly showered Draco. He nudged her gently with his head pressed to her neck, placing a light kiss there.

"Wake up my love, the sun is shining onto your beautiful face and I can no longer bare the disgrace of not being able to appreciate the gaze of your chocolate brown eyes."

Hermione smiled as she gently rolled from Draco's embrace. She stretched her arms out and then turned to regard her husband. Freshly washed, his wet hair clung to his face and hung down into his eyes. He was smiling so wide, a smile reserved only for her and he was as naked as the day he was born. Hermione blushed as her gaze traveled south before she quickly snapped her eyes back up to him.

"You're beautiful when you sleep but Sweet Circe you're stunning when you smile at me."

"Thank you, Draco," Hermione said as she rose from the bed and planted a sweet kiss on his lips. As she pulled away Draco wrapped his arms around her back and pulled her closer to him before sniffing the small mark on her neck.

"Mine."

Hermione responded by wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing his ear a whispered "mine" passing her lips before she pulled away.

"I slept so well last night. Deeper than I've slept in years."

"That's because you passed out screaming my name."

Hermione blushed and looked away from him in embarrassment.

"Nothing to blush about dear, you're stunning when you cum. Now, make haste my love, you've slept a bit late and we must be down to breakfast soon. Can you pick something for me to wear when you've finished?"

"I don't know, I'd hate to cover up Adonis himself," Hermione spoke as she went to the bathroom, no sooner had she turned the handle had Draco been on her.

"Who is this Adonis and why have you seen him uncovered?" He spoke holding her hips to him from directly behind her.

"It's an expression, he's a Greek God from ancient mythology, I was paying you a compliment."

"Oh."

Hermione reached into the top drawer on her side and pulled out a toothbrush and toothpaste. "You remembered." She smiled at the thought.

Draco returned her smile as he mirrored her movements on his side producing a toothbrush of his own. He took the toothpaste from her before brushing and taking out the Listerine to rinse before passing it back over to her.

After five minutes, Hermione convinced Draco to leave her alone to shower, promising that she would keep it short and that she would be on the lookout the entire time.

Hermione washed her face, body and hair while pondering the conversation from last night. Having slept on it, she was reassured in her decision to trust Draco and believe what had been said. She also recalled a white haired man following her from time to time in the years after Draco's disappearance. At first she assumed he had been a neighbor who worked near her, but she had occasionally thought she'd seen him when she'd go to visit the Muggle world. Every time she had gone to take a second glance, he'd been gone. Hermione decided that she would save this information until after she saw the other information on the Cell. Rinsing off, she stepped out of the shower and used a fluffy crème towel to dry herself, some things just felt better done the Muggle way. She stepped out of the bathroom to find Draco lounging on the bed.

He rose to meet her by their closet, again tapping Hermione's intimate place in the mirror to open the door.

As they entered and looked around Hermione turned to Draco, "arrange for me to go to town today, I will write my letter to Harry after breakfast and I'll go to pick out your ring. You cannot come, it has to be a surprise."

"Hermione, that's out of the question, I must go. I cannot be that far from you for that long, our bond is still young and we must solidify it."

"You can come but you will not enter the jeweler. Send someone else in with me if you must," Hermione left no room for argument as she turned to continue picking out clothes. Finally she decided on a blue and white gingham button up shirt for Draco, with forest green pants, a tan belt and tan shoes. She thought that would pair well with what Draco had picked for her; a white blouse with a short asymmetrical bottom and a short, green cotton skirt which appeared to criss cross in the front. She picked out some gold bangles to match the gold in the buckle of Draco's belt. After that Hermione went over to the vanity and applied eyeliner to her bottom lids, a couple layers of high volume mascara to her lashes and a slightly darker pink gloss to her lips.

"Don't you think this is too much, to dress like this every day?" She asked as she checked herself over in the mirror.

"No. This is what I've been doing all my life, I like looking nice. I love when you dress up. Of course, I love when you're naked too, and when you have on my clothes, and well- you get the picture. Looking the part is important."

Hermione sighed, "ok, Draco. We're still going to get some of my things from London, aren't we?"

"Yes, dear," Hermione took his arm and they began walking to the door.

"That's what I like to hear," she said as they stood at the door to the bedroom.

**Thanks to Jinxerbell, Artemisgodess, shaymars, Grovek26 for the reviews! Leave me a quick review and tell me what you think of Veela! Hope you all are still reading and enjoying! **


	7. Chapter 7

**I do not own any rights to Harry Potter. This work is of my own imagination for enjoyment only.**

**s/o to LadiePhoenix007, shaymars, Grovek26, and Jinxerbell for the reviews**

Hermione and Draco again took the necessary series of tunnels towards the dining hall. Hermione noted that the building seemed so much brighter since she had been brought initially. Draco had been noting the same when he looked over at Hermione. As they followed the rectangular staircase up past the training room, Hermione again noted the opening and closing of the same door.

"Draco, did you notice that?"

"Yes."

"That's the second time that we've gone past there and that has happened."

"Yes. Wait here I'm going to go check on things." Draco crouched forward in a defensive position ever so slightly while drawing his wand. Hermione was sure he didn't need it and for the first time since her initial activity here thought of her own wand, which she made a mental note to ask about later.

"What if it's a trap and I'm injured out in the hall?" Hermione thought this possibility was very small and wanted to go investigate as much as Draco. However, she decided that she should pick her outright battles and trick Draco into taking her too.

"Yes, stay close and stay behind me, I know how rash you Gryffindorks get."

Hermione silently quipped that was rich coming from a man who had her kidnapped. For Draco's sake she simply nodded and stood behind him. They entered the room quietly. The room was the standard white that all rooms had before being magically altered by the owner. Inside, there were six beds in with a row of dressers along the far wall. A trunk was situated at the foot of each bed. Draco expertly crept around the room checking the beds and dressers before he relaxed just a fraction. Hermione wandlessly cast a homenum revelio before being pulled to the marker above the middle trunk. Draco followed her before putting her behind him once again. Hermione stepped around him to his side with a roll of her eyes. Her eye roll was answered by a flash of black from Draco's own eyes before he pushed her slightly behind him again, less than before. The door slammed again and Draco jumped in between it and Hermione flashing his teeth and crouching in front of her with elongated nails as he dropped his wand. Hermione silently picked up the wand holding it at the ready next to Draco, momentarily forgetting the marker. When there was no further activity Hermione slowly turned and quietly crept back over to the trunk where the marker was. She mumbled a quiet alohomora and peered over into the trunk. Draco had of course heard the muttered spell and had quickly come to Hermione's side. At the bottom of the trunk sat a thin brown haired boy with his hands out in front of him. Moving his hands, Hermione noticed that the boy was clad only in his boxers.

"What is the meaning of this?" Draco asked the boy with a growl, lightly pushing Hermione back behind him.

"The older boys they put me in here, they said it was a test. I think they forgot about me. I've been down here for three days, I think. All I've had in the way of sustenance is water. I've been trying to use wandless magic to alert someone that I was down here."

"That's amazing," Hermione declared as she levitated the young boy up out of the trunk.

Draco cast a sideways glance over at Hermione before agreeing. "That's exactly what I'd expect from one of my recruits. How old are you anyway?"

"18, sir." The boy responded straightening up as best he could.

Hermione cast Draco a quick angry glare before looking back at the boy with a kind smile. "Well let's get you into a bath and into some fresh clothes. It is time for breakfast."

"Hermione I'm sure a bloke can manage to clean himself, he was using wandless magic to open and shut the door."

"Well, when you come into the dining hall, you come right up to the front there will be an open seat for you, understood?"

"Yes, ma'am," the boy responded weakly before going over to his bed and getting his things.

Hermione and Draco walked out closing the door behind them. As they did Hermione cast a muffliato over them preparing for Draco's rant.

"Surely you don't expect to have him sit with us?"

"Surely you don't condone the use of hazing an initiate for three days without food or wand? That is not how you get people's loyalty Draco. He will sit with us as a show of solidarity. Also, he is a powerful magical tool. He went three days without food and was still able to use wandless magic."

Hermione continued walking, "now what is it you were saying?"

"Yes, dear."

"Oh, Draco, you learn so quickly." She said turning to place a kiss upon his cheek before continuing walking.

The two followed the route to the dining hall, Draco telling Hermione the typical day's schedule as they went. When they finally reached the dining hall they again entered to applause. The thought of being some type of royal still unnerved Hermione and she blushed turning into Draco. He turned down to look at her with an amused smile before returning his gaze to the crowd as he lightly tugged Hermione toward the dais. He pulled back her chair and pushed the chair in under her before sitting at his own.

"I don't know that I'll ever get used to people clapping every time I walk into a room," Hermione stated to no one in particular.

"Really? Even after the war?" Blaise asked.

"Especially after the war."

Unlike the previous time, the food appeared and everyone began to eat.

A few minutes into breakfast Draco summoned the chairs of each circle over with an exaggerated nod of his head. With military precision, each of them rose and came to stand before Draco. "Carris," he called looking toward the chair of the brains, "you are responsible for gathering all the information we have on the Cell and presenting it to Blaise before the 2:30 meeting, is that understood?"

"Yes, sir." Carris barked before turning to the others, "have all your information to me when you come to lunch."

Carris turned back to Draco and bowed stiffly at the waist. Draco inclined his head slightly and dismissed them all with a nod of his head.

Hermione briefly pondered how anti climatic the whole event had been before tucking back into her breakfast. Mentally she made note of things she wanted to handle in between the schedule Draco had told her about on the way down.

7-8:30 was Breakfast, at 9:30 was the meeting of the seven circles, Hermione figured she could send her owl to Harry and the ministry between those two. At 10 The others went to training while the seven circle meetings continued on as long as need. 12-1:30 was lunch, from 2:30- 4 each circle had time to conduct themselves as deemed necessary by its chair. From 4-5:30 the entire group came together to bond and discuss what transpired during that day. Finally at 6, there was supper.

Daphne Greengrass daintily lifted her wand and cast a charm that resulted in a green paper airplane gliding smoothly over to land in front of Hermione. Hermione wiped her mouth and set down her napkin before reaching for the plane and unfolding it gently.

"Hermione,

A few of us are going into town after supper today to blow off some steam. If you wish to join us simply join us when we leave afterwards.

Daphne"

Hermione smiled to herself at the thought of being included she looked at Daphne and gave her a gracious smile before turning back to her food.

"What's got you grinning like a firstie?" Draco nudged her gently.

"Don't worry about it." She stuck her tongue out at him playfully. The boy from earlier walked in and sat at one of the extra tables in the back of the hall. Almost immediately, his breakfast appeared before him. He ate it staring at the back wall. Hermione again put her napkin down and stood to exit the dais. Draco, Blaise, Adrian and Theo all stood immediately as well. As Hermione descended the stairs and walked past each table, all eyes were on her. She went over to the back and pulled a chair around from another table. As she sat down the boy still had not broken out of his trance. Hermione pulled her chair around to him and reached out to touch his hand before looking up at Draco begging with her eyes for him not to freak out. The sound of silverware hitting the plate caused Hermione to look back at the fellow.

He had dropped to one knee and was staring intently at the ground. "Forgive me my liege, I did not notice your presence."

"You don't have to do that, you were fine sitting in your chair." The boy rose and sat across from her again. "Now, what is your name?"

"Alexander Martell," he replied looking at her cautiously.

"That's a strong name. Alexander, why are you sitting alone and what seems to be troubling you?" Hermione asked removing her hand but leaning in to show that she was engaged.

"I don't want to burden you with my troubles."

"We are family, it is no burden at all." The boy smiled briefly before looking into her eyes.

"I'm muggleborn, the Cell killed my parents and both my sisters while I was away at Hogwarts. I looked at the calendar and realized that today is my baby sister's birthday. I'm just having a bit of a rough morning." Again Hermione felt her heartstrings inexplicably tugged. For some reason when she looked at this boy, she was reminded of herself.

"I'm so sorry to hear that, I truly am. Please accept my sincerest condolences and if you would like, I still wish for you to join us at our table." Hermione rose and hugged the boy very briefly before patting his shoulder and turning back toward the front. Sure enough Alexander had levitated his plate wandlessly and walked with Hermione up to the dais.

With a wave of Draco's hand the table extended itself and added the same chair upon which Alexander had previously been sitting. As they sat down, the hall began buzzing in quiet whispers. Light conversation was made up on the platform about the real reason Hermione brought Alexander to the front. Theo posed the question about the standards that needed to be met to just add someone to the circle. This sparked a bit of conversation with Daphne who said that if Hermione thought he was worthy he probably was and she explained that it might be good to have someone so young with fresh ideas. Draco explained that the boy was simply gifted and that was the end of the discussion.

After the discussion, Hermione decided that she would leave early to get started on her letter to Harry. She leaned over and was about to say something to Draco when who should walk up to the dais but Pansy Parkinson.

"My liege, might I have a brief audience?"

Draco waves his hand nonchalantly as if giving her permission to go on.

"I was just hoping to remind you that I formally requested on two occasions to become a part of the inner circle. Both times I listed my credentials, included references, and was denied. However, since you seem to be in the mood to hand them out today, I thought I'd try again."

"Since it was Hermione who deemed young Alexander fit to join, I will let her respond."

Pansy rolled her eyes before minutely positioning her body to face Hermione.

Hermione stood and clasped her hands in front of her. She then addressed her in a low voice, "Pansy, I have not seen your wandwork since we were at Hogwarts. However, I will reject your application based on one premise: becoming part of the inner circle is an elite honor. One cannot simply ask to become a part, one must be selected." Turning lightly to speak to everyone she continued, "We are always watching you all to see who would be an asset to this particular group. Some of you, I'm told, are doing wonderfully in your current circles. This assembly is making great strides to achieve our goals. Along that same line, everyone has an important role to play and we would not typically want to disturb the well oiled machine that some of you have become. That being said, don't consider the inner circle to be over you. Think of us as a council which has an outside look into how you are conducting yourselves. We put our robes on one arm at a time just like you." Here the group laughed. "Continue working hard and we shall all reap the most precious of rewards. For Honor, Glory and Empire." The group responded in kind by standing, applauding and chanting Honor, glory, empire. Hermione kissed Draco lightly on the cheek before attempting to leave the hall. Draco caught her hand briefly and pulled her down again to whisper into her ear, "spoken like a true queen, my love."

Hermione blushed under his praise and turned to walk from the dais and hall as gracefully as she could. Once outside the doors, she called for Lolly.

The tiny elf bowed as she appeared, "Lolly is glad you finally called, lady."

"I'm glad to see you, too, Lolly. Could you please help me to my rooms if you aren't too busy to walk with me? I think I have the route down but I want to be certain I do without being lost, and I could use the company."

The tiny elf bowed again, "Lolly would be happy to walk with the mistress."

Hermione walked and talked with Lolly about the other elves and what she did when she had any free time. Lolly and Topsy had been with Draco since he was born and came with him to the compound to help out. Lolly told Hermione stories about baby Draco's accidental magic and how she had raised him from a baby. She told Hermione how she had blubbered into her tea towel for three hours after he left for Hogwarts.

When they finally reached her room, Hermione invited Lolly to stay and talk with her more but Lolly politely declined stating that she had work to do. When Hermione walked into the room she looked about deciding if she would use the vanity as a desk or transfigure the dressers. Eventually she decided on the dressers citing their emptiness as a good enough reason.

She went over to the dresser and pulled out Draco's wand before using it to transfigure the dresser. Realizing she had nothing with which to write, she called again for a house elf, feeling more than slightly guilty. "Topsy?" The elf immediately appeared with a bow. "I'm sorry to disturb you, but may I have some parchment, ink and a quill, I need to write a letter."

"Yes, Lady," the elf said with a bow as more than enough of the items appeared.

"Thank you so much, Topsy. You're the best!" Hermione said giving the elf a smile. Topsy appeared to blush before bowing and disappearing with a crack.

Hermione thought about the best way to word her letter only slightly before she wrote to Harry. Hermione addressed the letter to Harry James Potter, clue one. In the letter she spoke of their adventures in the Forest of Dean when Ron had left. She added details about fixing his glasses again multiple times (hoping he would recognize the need to see as needing to meet with him). She also added that she was so displeased with the overcast clouds that had loomed before them while Ron was away and added that they still haunted her until this day and hoped he was no longer burdened by them. Hermione asked after all the Weasleys politely and asked for Harry to give her love to them and her hopes that she would see them all soon. Hermione concluded her letter asking Harry if they had talked to Dean Thomas lately stating that she had dreamed about him for three days and was worried about him. She also stated that she had left to find herself and had been led by a feeling deep within her to Germany where she had found Draco. He had been living as a local in a small muggle town obliviated. Hermione said that she had taken him to a hostel and reversed the spell, Draco had promptly taken her into his arms and claimed her and they were mated now. She stated again that she couldn't wait to reconnect with them and see them just as soon as she and Draco were mentally and physically ready to return to the home. She signed the letter Mrs. Hermione Malfoy and put it in an envelope. She cast a notice me not spell on it as well as something that would allow it to be read only by Harry himself. Anyone else would see only the asking after the Weasleys and her story about Draco. She then put the letter in an envelope and addressed it again writing his whole name on the front.

Hermione whistled low four times remember how Draco used to signal his eagle owl, Jupiter. Sure enough, the great black owl appeared outside the bay window. Jupiter flew back and forth excitedly as if he was impatient to see her. Hermione flicked Draco's wand over in the direction of the window and Jupiter immediately rocketed over to her nipping her fingers affectionately.

"I missed you too, Jupiter," Hermione giggled at the bird. "Could you please take this to Harry for me? Wait for a reply but don't give this to anyone but him, ok?" The Owl flapped his wings and stuck out his leg in understanding. As soon as it was tied to his leg securely, he gave Hermione one more excited nip and took off.

"I thought we agreed that I would read it first." Draco spoke scaring Hermione who jumped.

"Yes well, I forgot. Draco where's my wand? Yours seems to like me but I miss my own."

"It's on the window seat, I thought you'd have been there by now to read, sorry, I should have told you."

"You didn't tell me because you didn't think I would accept the bond."

"I didn't tell you because I forgot," he said throwing her words from earlier back at her.

"Fair enough," Hermione said with a smile. She stood from the seat and virtually ran to the window seat where she spotted the rest of her arm. She immediately picked it up and sighed. "It feels like a part of me has been missing for the last few days. Gods it's good to have my wand back."

Draco frowned and headed towards her, "you shouldn't be feeling anything of the sort, why didn't you tell me? Everything feels fine on my end of the bond, I'm not sure what could have gone wrong."

"Draco, I just meant that I felt a bit weird without my wand."

Draco smiled having the sense to look slightly embarrassed. He wrapped his arms around her, "you spoke so well today people were still talking about it when we left breakfast. Very warm yet certainly very political, you were brilliant."

"Thank you, Draco," she turned in his arms. "I'm so content right now."

Draco purred in response, "we are happy that you are happy."

"So we have an hour to kill, what shall we do?"

"What would you like to do?"

"Let's duel, I haven't used my wand in a while and my big, brooding husband doesn't like the idea of me training with everyone else."

"Hermione-"

"It would make me even happier than I already am. We'll take it easy, ok?"

Draco nodded and she squealed excitedly before virtually pulling him from the room toward the training room. When they arrived Hermione ran to the other side. She took off her jewelry and piled it neatly in the corner before transfiguring her skirt and blouse into some shorts and a camisole. Draco didn't bother to change.

"Are you going to duel me wandless?" Hermione asked a frown marring her features. He isn't going to change and he's going to do wandless magic? I'll show him.

Draco smirked they bowed to each other and came up assuming their dueling positions. Hermione counted to three as was customary before wordlessly casting a tarantallegra at him which he blocked with a wave of his hand. Draco cast something at Hermione which she easily blocked and countered with a silent levicorpus Draco side stepped that and countered with a wordless rictumsempra. Hermione spun lightly to her left and fired An avis at Draco slightly distracting him, as the flock of birds shot over to him. With a lean back she shouted 'Carpe retractum' to seize and pull Draco to her before wordlessly using Flipendo to knock him onto his ass. Once he was on the ground he cast a weak levicorpus at her which Hermione barely missed before she finished Draco off with a full body bind curse.

"There are you actually going to try this time, if I lift it?" Draco stared at her as angrily as he could under a full body bind.

"Good." Hermione stated simply before lifting the charm.

Hermione and Draco dueled mercilessly. Round after round there was no clear winner. Each of them was sweating; Draco had long since taken off his shirt and had turned his pants into shorts. Their sweat soaked hair clung to their faces and dripped into their eyes. Hermione's cami had been shed and she was down to a sports bra. The two danced a complicated ballet as hand and wand swirled to and from. It wasn't until another hour and fifteen minutes passed and the others began to enter the hall for training that they noticed how long they had been.

As the others entered both became more determined to win than ever. They had each been momentarily occupied with the thought of how Veela might react given that Hermione was in her sports bra but the thought had quickly been pushed aside as they continued to duel. Finally with a sigh of annoyance Blaise had been the one to cast a Flipendo at the both of them knocking them back and causing Draco to cover Hermione in a protective stance.

"Calm down, I'm just alerting you that the rest of us still need to train and you would be upset if we did it with her here. Go find something to do with your time." He reprimanded in a bored tone.

Draco looked over at Hermione and quickly flicked his hand from his shirt to her covering her with it.

As they began to walk out of the room several people were still staring in shock. "How can she even keep up with him? None of the rest of us can, not even as a group." "He must have been taking it easy on her? He can't hurt her or something right?" "doubt it did you see the concentration on his face? He was definitely trying." "She is the brightest witch of our age." Hermione rolled her eyes as they walked out.

When they made it back to their room, Hermione fell onto the rug in a great heap. "Man, I'm tired. I could use a nap. That was so fun. I can't believe I kept up with you."

Draco growled, "I was going easy on you."

"No you weren't. I saw the look on your face, you were trying, but your ego is just too bruised to admit it. Your veela may be stronger physically but I'm still slightly sharper than you." Hermione said picking herself up off the carpet to look at him.

"A few more minutes and I would have had you."

"In your dreams, Malfoy."

"In real life, Malfoy," he tossed back at her.

"We both know I would have won eventually."

"Not necessarily, sweetheart, like you said I'm stronger physically. Endurance would have kicked in and I would have won out."

Unconsciously, the two began making their way toward the shower.

"I would have outsmarted you before we tired."

"I don't think so."

"Well we will just have to keep going until one of us wins." Hermione said turning on the shower.

She began to undress. "Hermione-" she cut him off at the hesitation in his voice.

"Draco, if things are as bad as you say, I need to stay sharp. You won't let me train with anybody else, we need to keep doing this. You're going to have to get over it or let me do it with someone else," she said stepping into the shower. Draco soon entered as well.

"I recognize the need for you to stay in shape but can't you just run or something? It makes me uncomfortable to think that I could hurt you."

Hermione thought momentarily about her encounter with Veela the other day and shuddered briefly at the thought. "Once you started you forgot all about that, didn't you?"

"A little." He confessed, "I got a bit caught up in the moment." He smirked.

"See, so just let this happen," she said standing on the tips of her toes and grabbing his face to plant a chaste kiss on his lips. As she pulled away his caught his arms around her and kissed her slowly and deeply. "I love you."

"I love you too." She smiled before continuing to wash herself.

The two exited the bathroom some time later, "how much time do we have?" Hermione asked.

"They break at 11:30 to shower before lunch at 12 and it's 11:40 now."

"So just enough time to get dressed and go back down," Hermione asked with a hint of disappointment in her voice.

Draco stood in front of her with a smug smile. "Why? Do you have something else in mind?"

"Maybe." Hermione said wearing a smirk of her own.

"We can be a bit late." Draco said pulling her up to wrap her legs about him.

A little while later found Draco cleaning the two of them up wandlessly.

Hermione dressed in a soft green maxi dress and put on the same jewelry, shoes and makeup as earlier. "I never thought I'd be so randy." She said with a blush.

"I'm glad to be of service." Draco gave her a quick kiss and put on the same clothes as earlier. A tap at the window broke them out of their little world. It was Jupiter with a missive ties to his leg.

Hermione opened the letter and read it quickly. Draco had managed to produce some treats for Jupiter which he took to his perch by the window seat and devoured graciously.

Draco read over her shoulder several times but didn't quite understand. "What does it mean?" He asked with his brows knit together in confusion.

Hermione smirked at him, happy he hadn't cracked their code. "It means he'll see me in three days time in one of the places from when we were on the run."

"I'm going with you."

"Yes you are."

They arrived at lunch and no one applauded as they entered.

Hermione sighed in relief. "I'm glad that wore off."

"They usually do it most mornings." Draco again pulled out her seat before taking his own.

Blaise smirked at the two when Draco sat down. "You're late. Popped off for a bit of how's your father, eh?" He asked with a wink at Hermione who immediately turned red.

Draco stared at him through tiny slits for eyes as he leaned down and kissed Hermione's head.

At this point, Carris approached the dais again. "My liege." He started placing his fist over his heart and kneeling in front of Hermione.

"Do you have something for me, Carris?" Draco asked slightly annoyed.

"Of course, sir," Carris said standing up to hand a palm sized folder over to Blaise.

"You're dismissed." Draco stated simply to which Carris nodded and went back to his table.

Hermione wondered how large the file would be once returned to its original state. A wave of excitement washed over her and she bounced a little in her seat before returning to eating her squash soup. Draco gave her a knowing look while he ate. Try as she might she did this a few times during the meal nothing could staunch her nervous excitement. She was going to learn something new, the truth. After lunch she would learn of the Cell.

**I should be back to updating every couple weeks now that school is in session. However, I make no promises as to that timeline. I am a grad student in my final semester and I have two projects, a thesis and a weekly presentation, and weekly practicum so I'm a wee bit busy. Thanks for keeping up with Red Light in the Dark! Reviews are always welcome I love getting your feedback about the direction of the story, characters etc.**


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